Billy's Holiday

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Billy's Holiday ★★½ 1995 (R)

Excessively offbeat Australian musical lacks the highly polished look of Hollywood's best, but given the setting and subject matter, it is probably not meant to have it. The subject is Billy Apples (Cullen), hangdog hardware owner by day, hangdog jazz musician at night. His audiences regularly fall asleep, but Kate (McQuade), owner of the beauty shop down the street, still loves him. Then one night, Billy magically receives the ability to sing just like his idol, Billie Holiday. The main attractions are the likeably middleaged stars and a soundtrack filled with big band tunes. 92m/C DVD . AU Max Cullen, Kris McQuade, Tina Bursill, Drew Forsythe, Genevieve Lemon, Richard Roxburgh, Rachel Coopes; D: Richard Wherrett; W: Denis Whitburn; C: Roger Lanser.

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